state of the Rose

- Got involved in an online discussion on fat acceptance I should have probably avoided, but it ended well (chez  yuki_onna  )

- the TSA/sexual assault discussions had been very, very triggery for me, but two pieces I found useful: dsmoen's and Jim Hines's.

- I checked the Amtrak rates and times from here to LA, and it's just under 40 hrs each way. Price is affordable, but can I find the time? (this is for a possible work trip in early 2011).

- editing / ST work: I am a very hands-on editor; I knew this already but I think this time I am doing a better job? I hope. 

- also very happy w. poems accepted so far. And I'm pondering the hold list! Some editors make fast decisions, but I am an editorial tortoise. It takes me at least 5 rereadings, usually more to make a decision on maybe-poems. I also use the spontaneous memorization test - do I remember bits and pieces of these poems after rereadings? 

- poets, how useful are conversations about craft for you? I do not want to drive away potential submitters, but I also learned some more about what works and what doesn't work for me, and why.

- as a part of an ongoing conversation with  art_ungulate  , found a recipe for zdravur (a magical health drink one of my pagan/chemistry Ph.D acquaintances used to brew back in Israel). I cannot brew it, but if Dan can, this will be pretty darn amazing.

- suddenly I have more stories than poems on submission; this is very unusual, perhaps even unprecedented? I also noticed that I think my poems (and stories) are strong when they are on submission, but immediately after they sell I get the feeling that they are crap. Wondering if I'm "snatching defeat from the jaws of victory," as  time_shark  suggested.


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